Interpaving pays $350K to family of Sudbury woman killed on Elgin Street construction site in 2015

The family of the woman crushed to death on a downtown Sudbury construction site in 2015 has received $350,000 in damages from Interpaving.

The company and the family reached the settlement in December 2019.

Cecile Paquette, 58, was hit by a grader as she tried to cross Elgin Street, which the City of Greater Sudbury had hired Interpaving to resurface.

Her family filed a lawsuit for $2 million in 2016 against the city, the company and Benoit St. Jean, the man who was driving the grader.

St. Jean was represented by Interpaving in the civil case and the settlement covers the family's claim against him as well. 

The City of Greater Sudbury had denied any wrongdoing, arguing in court documents that Paquette had "failed to proceed cautiously" across the active construction site.

The family's lawsuit against the city has been concluded as well, but no details of that settlement have been made public.

While Interpaving has pleaded guilty to health and safety charges for the accident, the City of Greater Sudbury was acquitted by a judge in 2018, although the Ontario Ministry of Labour is appealing that decision.